More Like This

Preview

A general shift in emphasis toward more community-based musicking practices, coupled with an interest in health-promoting rather than curative activities within the field of music and health, gives rise to a new set of questions best addressed by the broadest possible cultural, theoretical, or sociological perspective. Some of these questions concern the ethical and political dimensions of musicking — for instance, should we describe communal musicking activities as ultimately educational, cultural, therapeutic, or health promoting? Other questions concern the traditional boundaries that...

A general shift in emphasis toward more community-based musicking practices, coupled with an interest in health-promoting rather than curative activities within the field of music and health, gives rise to a new set of questions best addressed by the broadest possible cultural, theoretical, or sociological perspective. Some of these questions concern the ethical and political dimensions of musicking — for instance, should we describe communal musicking activities as ultimately educational, cultural, therapeutic, or health promoting? Other questions concern the traditional boundaries that distinguish music therapists from community musicians or health workers, for example. Should these boundaries be blurred, perhaps via the new role of health musician? What competencies should be required for doing health work using musical activities? Which musical, social, and theoretical skills would best accommodate health-related musical interventions? This chapter attempts to answer these questions by reporting briefly on a community music project presently being conducted among young Palestinians living under adverse conditions in a refugee camp in South Lebanon. It begins by giving some theoretical background on and conceptual clarification to the field of music and health and the concept of musicking.